Pumpkin Run Pulse

The title of this handy little Ebook is an exact description of the contents. I’ve read it and used it to format and publish my first solo-book, FarmaCopeia: The Little Book on Lavender (solo as in I had no co-author on this one). It was a huge help in getting through the techno-chores and now it’s in the spotlight of good things I want to share with you.

Easy Kindle Formatting Using Google Docs is authored by Caroline Winston, which is the pen name of writer/editor and videographer, Ava Fails. She’ll explain why she uses a pen name in the book, which is a bit of info both writers and readers will find interesting and useful.

That’s just one cool thing about the book. Let me regale you with more, starting with the reasons I needed it.

Why Google Drive/Google Docs for book writing? ​

​I know there are other, far more famous writing programs many authors use to write books with. However, I had good reason to use Google Drive and Google Docs and I’ve listed them below for you.

Why? Because you might wanna use the yourself, and the reasons apply to any sort of writing tasks, not just books.

Accessible on and off line

Compatibility with Android, Windows and Mac

Easy to write with and has lots of awesome tools to work with, just like Word.

Easy to collaborate with others, remotely.

FREE!

Portable!

The editing team for Lavender included Maria Jordan of marcoujor’s musings and Vicki Warner of WarnerWords, who were already familiar with both writing and editing in Google Docs (GDocs) via Google Drive (GDrive), so we stayed with it. This time, though, I took the time to learn much more about the program and it was so worth it! That’s where Ava’s book came in.

She made learning the new stuff super-easy and the result was a beautiful final product in layout and design of both images and text.

I was also able to share much of what I learned from Ava’s book with Lavender’s graphics designer, Rita Davis of ritahicksdavis.com. I thought the book would come in handy just for Ebook formatting, but I learned several other tips and tricks for working with GDocs from the book I’d not anticipated. It delivered much more bang for my buck, and that’s seriously about all it cost me. This great little book sells for just 99¢ USD, in Amazon’s Kindle version.

I found the book so useful, I bought a copy for myself, my brother (who’s book is also being developed in GDrive and GDocs), my little cousin Avril, (a young, aspiring writer), as well as the Lavender production team.

They can keep it in their writers’ libraries as a reference tool, and they can even loan it to other readers who might want to check it out and hopefully buy a copy for themselves if they’re interested in joining the indie authors community. Past being a great book for writers, it’s just as good to gift to graphic designers who work with writers, especially indie authors, or students, or folks whose work requires document writing, design and printing, etcetera.

​Bonus content

Click image to view and/or buy from amazon.com

Ava’s writing is refreshing because it’s earthy ...? That’s my best description of what it feels like to read the book. She keeps it short, simple, straightforward and even personal. She’s one of the few writers I’ve come across who can make technical information interesting, even fun to read. She also included a good amount of screen-shots so you can actually see what she’s talking about and refer back to it while you’re working, if needed.

She went extra miles by including information that’s not related to the Kindle book publishing process. Some writers want to publish their books in multiple venues, want to do their own graphics and may not have access to Microsoft Word, which is one of the preferred formats needed for uploading the final document to Kindle. Below is the info provided in the book to help with those needs.

How to use GDocs to produce Ebooks for Barnes & Noble’s indie author program

How to work with a free graphics program called Canva to produce exterior and interior graphics for your Ebook

How to use OpenOffice as a compatible, totally free and superior-quality alternative to Microsoft Word

See? It’s worth way more than 99¢!

To get more familiar with this author’s work you can visit her websites and YouTube channel via the links provided for you below. They’re embedded, so just hover and click (or tap). You can also click her book cover's image to view and purchase it from amazon.com.

Loved this, and it gets me all fired up to start doing more work. It's great to think I could actually try producing an ebook by gaining some of this knowledge.

Like Maria, I'm constantly grateful for your huge support in our collaborative efforts. I love being part of your editorial team.

Reply

Angelia Phillips (femmeflashpoint)

8/26/2016 09:45:20 pm

Vicki,

Lots of writers out there say the best time to get to work on a new book is right after finishing the last one. ✨

Reply

crazyhorseladycx

9/6/2016 01:17:43 am

howdy, ms. femme!

sounds like a most handy lil book fer folks who 're interested 'n writin' ought to've. thanks fer the article.

big hugs 'n love!

Reply

femmeflashpoint

9/14/2016 10:49:11 am

CHL,

Thanks for the visit!

This little book is such a great investment for writers. Thus far, I've used it to produce two new Ebooks, one of my own and one for a colleague and wow! It makes the whole writing and editing process so easy and smooth to get through.

I'm also using Google Drive/Docs to produce a small Ebook to be given away as a gift to flashPress subscribers. If I later decide to turn it into a Kindle Ebook, 98% of the work will already be done and there will only take a couple more steps to execute the transition from Google Doc to Kindle Ebook.

Hi Angela...I came by your post in a roundabout way by searching "femmeflashpoint" after seeing your review on this book on Amazon.

All I can say is "Wow" and "thank you". I've been publishing books for Kindle since 2011. I don't do a bunch of marketing and jazz because....it's tedious and I have ADD. haha

This is actually the first time I've seen my work reviewed by someone on their own site. I am humbled by your kind words and that you would take up your own web real estate with my blathering is an honor.

I'm currently in the process of doing a little rebranding, so I put my Facebook profile as my website for now. Would LOVE to be friends. Thanks again for your kindness. I would be happy to provide you with a PDF of this book and the other 2 in this series for sharing with your teams free. Get in touch, girl.

Best,
Ava

Reply

Angelia (femmeflashpoint)

4/19/2017 10:20:15 am

Ava,

Wow! Thank you for visiting flashPress and so happy you enjoyed the review on your awesome-sauce book!

I sympathize with the ADD. It's a hassle. Thanking God for coffee beans, water and non-dairy creamer, which has been my best defense, or offense, I'm still undecided but happy it works, lol.

Congrats on the rebranding and would love to pow-wow for a bit of collaboration and thanks for including your web address in your reply.

I'll be heading your way shortly!

Reply

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